It takes a lot of hard work to become a nurse in Pennsylvania, but once you secure a nursing license, the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing expects you to uphold certain standards. The board considers certain acts to be in violation of its standards, and if authorities arrest you, you have an obligation to report that arrest. This is true even if the arrest has nothing to do with your profession or your ability to safely perform your duties as a nurse.
Per the Pennsylvania Department of State, you need to let the state nursing board know about your arrest, regardless of whether authorities arrested you for a misdemeanor or a felony offense, within a particular timeframe.
How long you have to report your arrest
You have to report your arrest to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing within 30 days of the date it occurs. While you must report pending criminal charges within this 30-day window, you also have to report any criminal convictions you receive to the board within 30 days of the date you receive your conviction.
What to expect after reporting an arrest
In many cases, the state nursing board may wait to take action against you, should it decide to do so, until after you have had your day in court. However, reporting an arrest to the board does not automatically mean you are going to have your nursing license undergo suspension or revocation.
Failing to report a pending criminal charge or criminal conviction to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing may lead to additional repercussions.
